Anshul Kamboj has quickly become one of the defining bowling names of IPL 2026, turning into a constant wicket threat for Chennai Super Kings after earlier stints that never quite captured his impact. While Mumbai Indians (MI) struggled to get the best out of him during IPL 2024, CSK have leaned into his wicket-taking strengths—especially in the way he has been able to influence matches across different phases. After taking eight wickets in eight matches in 2025, Kamboj has continued his momentum this season, moving near the top of the Purple Cap standings with 17 wickets from nine games.
Key takeaways
- Anshul Kamboj is leading the wicket charts with 17 scalps, level with Bhuvneshwar Kumar on wickets but slightly behind on economy rate.
- In CSK’s win over MI on Saturday night, Kamboj produced figures of 3 for 32.
- Ambati Rayudu praised his ability to bowl effectively in the powerplay, the middle overs and in the death.
- Mitchell McClenaghan highlighted the around-the-wicket approach and Kamboj’s execution of yorkers and challenging lengths despite not being express pace.
- Kamboj’s season return includes 17 wickets in nine matches, with only one outing where he went wicketless.
Rayudu calls him a rare three-phase weapon
Rayudu believes Kamboj stands out because he can deliver in all three major segments of a T20 innings. Speaking after the CSK victory over MI, Rayudu said Kamboj’s powerplay work, his control through the middle overs, and his ability to take charge in the final overs put him in an elite category—arguing that very few IPL bowlers can do those roles “all three” with consistent quality.
He specifically pointed to the improvement in Kamboj’s death bowling, including the angle he creates from around the stumps and the way he has been landing yorkers. Rayudu added that it is not a simple skill to nail those yorker deliveries under pressure, and that Kamboj’s development in that area has been particularly noticeable.
CSK’s blueprint and the around-the-wicket plan
McClenaghan, a former New Zealand and MI quick, also linked Kamboj’s rise to a tactical direction CSK have long valued. He noted that the around-the-wicket approach has been a familiar feature of “CSK blueprint” thinking, referencing Dwayne Bravo in the past and adding that Eric Simons remains the bowling coach.
In McClenaghan’s view, the biggest shift for Kamboj came after joining CSK, where he appears to have found a clear plan for what he wants to do at the death. He acknowledged that the strategy may not succeed in every situation or in every set of conditions, and that it can depend on factors such as ground size and whether the field is set effectively on the off side.
Still, McClenaghan felt Kamboj has worked out an approach that fits him, and that the execution is what has made him so influential—turning him into a “three-phase” bowler who can contribute throughout an innings rather than only in one stretch.
Yorkers, seam movement and hitting the tough lengths
Beyond yorkers and the around-the-wicket angle, McClenaghan underlined another element: Kamboj’s ability to consistently hit the difficult lengths even without being the fastest option in the attack. He said what he likes most about the successful bowlers in this IPL is how often they land the six-to-eight metre length with the new ball, and that Kamboj is doing exactly that.
McClenaghan placed Kamboj in the same general bracket as other pace-and-swing specialists such as Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He also highlighted the late seam movement, suggesting it becomes particularly hard to handle at the top of the order.
From Haryana to Ranji dominance and the Test call-up
Kamboj, a Haryana fast bowler who is now 25, first attracted major attention when he took all ten wickets in a Ranji Trophy innings in November 2024. His domestic performances earned him a place in India’s Test squad in the summer of 2025, and he received his Test cap at Old Trafford.
However, despite that milestone, he did not manage to become a consistent contender for India’s fast-bowling spots. At IPL level too, he remained relatively under the radar until this point, even with earlier opportunities that did not fully translate into impact.
Rayudu expects further evolution—and warns not to rely on one strength
Rayudu’s admiration comes with an expectation that Kamboj should keep sharpening his skills. He said Kamboj has been operating without a clearly notable slow-ball option, and that there is still room to improve by developing another delivery that can make him even more dangerous in any bowling side.
Rayudu praised his execution, describing it as very accurate and suggesting that Kamboj rarely misses his intended length. In Rayudu’s view, his consistency and action are evident in how he does not appear to err in the basics—especially his ability to land the right ball repeatedly.
At the same time, Rayudu cautioned that Kamboj cannot limit himself to only what is already working. He argued that the bowler still needs to work on his slower ball and also learn how to bowl from over the stumps when situations demand it—particularly when plans from other angles are not yielding results.
For now, the numbers back the plan
For the moment, Kamboj’s 2026 season suggests his methods are already translating into results. With 17 wickets in nine games, including only one match where he did not take a wicket, his rise looks less like a flash and more like a sustained transformation into a bowler who can threaten batters at every stage of the innings.
